Ref.10716
Julien-Nicolas RIVART (1802-1867) - Purple velvet Folder decorated of porcelain marquetry

Bibliographie : Marc Maison et Emmanuelle Arnauld, Marqueteries virtuoses au XIXe siècle : Brevets d'invention. Rivart, Cremer, Fourdinois, Kayser Sohn et Duvinage, Dijon, Faton, 2012, p. 37. This velvet-covered folder is lined with moire fabrics on the inside. It has two compartments on each side and a matching file. Realized by Julien-Nicolas Rivart , it is decorated with a porcelain inlay painted in imitation of flowers, a branch of lilacs accompanied by white flowers, probably bindweed. The purple velvet background particularly emphasizes the porcelain's delicacy, and the liveliness of the colors. Through skilfully mastered range of hues, the painter was able to give an illusion of depth, creating the impression of a real branch of lilac laid on the folder.

Ref.10859
Paul ROUSSEL (1867-1928) - Pair of pewter lamps, cast by Eugène Soleau and globe signed Sèvres

This beautiful pair of lamps was made around 1900 out of pewter. Inspired by Art Nouveau, they bear the signature of Paul Roussel, sculptor, and Eugène Soleau, bronze manufacturer in Paris. A farandole of putti unfolds along the neck while the body of each lamp is adorned with flowers in slight relief. Paul Roussel is a major sculptor of the turn of the 20th century. Born in 1867, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris where he studied with Jules Cavelier, Louis-Ernest Barrias and Jules Coutan. In 1895, he won the Grand Prix of Rome for the bas-relief "David, winner of Goliath, brought in triumph to Saul". He won several medals at the Salons and exhibited Hors-Concours in London, Brussels, Turin, Liège, Amsterdam, Ghent. From 1906, he became a member of the jury of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and member of the grand jury of the Salon des artistes français. He obtained many orders from the State, including several monuments of importance: "The Duke of Aumale", stone statue commissioned by the State and kept at the entrance of the Museum of Decorative Arts of Paris, for example. He is decorated Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1914 and is promoted officer July 23, 1920. Eugène Soleau, bronzier, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1853. His foundry was located at 127 rue de Turenne in Paris. Secretary (1885-1889), then vice-president (from 1895 to 1899) and finally president (from 1900) of the Union of Bronze Manufacturers, he invested himself, at French and international levels, in the protection of Intellectual property.

Ref.11337
Display cabinet inspired by the Far East

Japanese style display cabinet, made in the 19th century, carved with openwork motifs in Chinese scrolls and surmounted by a large dragon carved in the round. In its lower part, two drawers with grips featuring a bronze turtle and a frog and two solid doors, engraved and decorated with panels decorated with birds and flowers in mother-of-pearl inlays. In its upper part, a display case and two asymmetrical shelves. Ornaments (chimera head, dragon) in gilded bronze.

Ref.15091
Art foundry of Johann HERZNER (attributed to), Lantern with rich rococo decoration, Second half of the 19th century

This ornate rococo-style lantern was crafted by the art foundry of Johann Herzner in the last quarter of the 19th century. The Johann Herzner art foundry, located at 37 Erzgießereistrasse in Munich, specialized in both original works and scaled reproductions. Active from approximately 1870 to 1877, the foundry made a significant impression with its display at the 1870 London International Workers’ Exhibition, where it presented a rococo-inspired couple (“Roccocopaar”) that highlighted Herzner’s early passion for the style. The pieces, noted for their exceptional clarity and detail despite a lack of chiseling, earned the foundry a second-class medal. Following this, the works were also showcased at Munich’s City Hall. Herzner further garnered acclaim at the 1873 Vienna World’s Fair, where he won a merit medal in both metal industry and decorative arts categories, praised for his well-modeled and finely crafted bronze groups. His last known exhibition was at the 1876 Munich Art and Craft Exhibition, where he received a second-class medal in the new arts industry category. This remarkable gilded bronze and glass lantern rests on a quadrilobed wooden base adorned with intricate decoration. Set within a naturalistic rocky and vegetative scene, various putti frolic in varied poses: a winged girl sits on a rock, while two young boys play amid the foliage. From this base, the stand spirals upward, featuring fluted leaves with sinuous curves surrounded by leafy embellishments. Toward the top, more putti appear: one, comfortably nestled within a curve, seems to hold seaweed in each hand; above him, a miniature Jupiter with lightning bolt and crown rests on an eagle with his left arm; another winged girl with roses gazes into the lantern, while an airy putto is suspended below, as if supporting the object. These four putti may symbolize the four elements (water, fire, earth, and air). The base of the lantern also displays rococo styling, crafted as a scalloped shell with uneven edges, from which palm-like fronds arc and frame the glass surface. The top of the lantern utilizes a play of solid and open spaces, which becomes especially striking when the lantern is lit. Each of the six glass panels is tinted blue and depicts a night sky dotted with stars, showing the moon in its various phases, which can be followed by turning the lantern. The exceptional craftsmanship and opulence of this piece showcase the artistry of the Bavarian foundry responsible for its creation, a workshop worthy of greater recognition.